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Steven Meier: Co-op ordinance requires improvements

Posted:
12/02/2016 08:00:00 PM MST

City Council will approve the new co-op ordinance on Dec. 6 with minimal debate. It's too late to stop them from legalizing over-occupied "rental co-op" boarding houses in residential neighborhoods. But they could still take some small steps to reduce the extent of the damage.

1) Limit the number of new co-ops each year to no more than one or two per neighborhood. Neighborhoods surrounding CU are sure to be hit the hardest. With a yearly per-neighborhood limit, the yearly crop of new co-ops will be spread out more evenly across the city.

2) Increase the minimum unit size for a co-op to greater than 2,000 square feet, or reduce the maximum number of residents to less than 12. The number of residents is only the starting point — consider the frequent "guests" and couch-surfers each co-op resident will host.

3) Increase the distance between co-ops to 750 feet. In most neighborhoods, a 500-foot separation would allow a co-op on every block. A more meaningful separation distance would be closer to 1,000 feet.

4) Require re-assessment of the co-op program after two years. This re-assessment should include feedback from neighbors of co-ops about the effects on their quality of life and their neighborhoods. City Council should have to vote affirmatively to continue issuing co-op licenses.

5) Reserve some portion of the 14 yearly co-op licenses for senior citizens. Seniors "aging in place" is frequently cited as a justification for licensing co-ops, but nothing in the proposal would ensure this.

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None of these suggestions would put much of a dent in the goals of Boulder's co-op community, but they would help our neighborhoods to a considerable extent. Please write to council@bouldercolorado.gov before Dec. 6.

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